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An anti-racism demonstration in Seoul on June 6. (Kim Bong-gyu, senior staff writer)

Christy, a 27-year-old American, took part in a “peace march” held in Seoul’s Myeongdong neighborhood at 4 pm on June 6 to commemorate George Floyd. Christy came to South Korea two years ago from New York.

Christy was holding up a placard that said, “We’re against racism.” “In the US, it’s routine to deal with racism,” she said.

“The killing of George Floyd has caused the chronic discrimination of blacks to just blow up. There are various demonstrations taking place in the US right now, but I joined this march because I wanted to be part of peaceful resistance.”

The peace march against racism in downtown Seoul took place at the same time as a memorial service for Floyd, who was killed when a white American police officer restrained him using excessive force.

The idea for the march came from Shim Ji-hun, 34. “No demonstrations had been held in Asia to commemorate George Floyd. I hope that by honoring the memory of Floyd, who was a victim of racism, we can send a message of hope to people around the world,” Shim said on Saturday.

About 150 people took part in the march. Some of the marchers wore black masks and clothing in honor of Floyd.

The march covered about 1.2km, starting at Migliore shopping center in Myeongdong, passing through Hoehyeon Street Rotary, and ending at Hanbit Plaza on the Cheonggye Stream. The organizers had participants stay 2m apart throughout the march to help prevent transmission of COVID-19. Since the event was a silent march, no chants could be heard.

Christy was only one of several non-Koreans that could be seen in the march, carrying signs with slogans such as “end systemic racism,” “black lives matter” and “I can’t breathe.” Floyd, who was unarmed at the time, apparently told police officers “I can’t breathe” and begged them not to kill him, which proved to be his final words.

“As a white person, I don’t have anything to say. I’m just sorry,” said one foreign participant who declined to provide a name.

Once the marchers reached Hanbit Plaza at 4:38 pm, they performed several symbolic gestures in memory of Floyd, dropping to their knees and raising their placards above their head.

“While working as a teacher in the US, I saw black students in my classes suffering from racism, and it made me angry to hear about blacks dying from police violence. I joined the march because I was grateful to see Koreans sympathizing with people who are suffering from racism in other countries,” said Park Hui-gyu, 45, who stuck around until the end of the event.

The organizers expressed their sympathy to Floyd and his bereaved family members. “We’ve heard a lot of disturbing things in this ethnically homogenous culture. Multicultural families suffer subtle discrimination, and Chinese face criticism simply because of where they come from. We believe that our small action will help create a world without violence.”

The New York Times and other international media are reporting that protests against the killing of George Floyd are taking place in at least 75 cities in the US.

By Bae Ji-hyun, staff reporter

Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]